High School Student Shot in Critical Condition

A teenage student was shot in the chest a block away from Ballou High School Thursday afternoon, D.C. police say.

The shooting happened in the 3200 block of 4th Street SE around the time school ended for the day.

The victim is a 17-year-old student at Ballou High School, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser said at a brief news conference. He is unconscious but breathing, police said.

"We're concerned about any level of violent crime and certainly, we expect our children to be able to go to school and get home from school safely," Bowser said.

Teen Shot a Block Away from DC High School

A 17-year-old student at Ballou High School in Southeast D.C. was shot int he chest, police say. News4's Jackie Bensen reports police are looking at surveillance video from a Metrobus that was driving nearby.

(Published Thursday, Nov. 9, 2017)

Police said the teen was on the street and got into some type of argument that led to the shooting. Two men fled from the area in a black vehicle with tinted windows, police said.

"This happened at 3:45 we know that people were definitely on the street, walking on the street, driving by in buses and may have seen this dark-colored vehicle that may have been seen leaving the scene at a high rate of speed. So, anyone who knows anything or thinks they heard anything should call the Metropolitan Police Department so we can find out who did this and get them off the street," Bowser said at the news conference.

Dozens of police cars responded to the scene.

Police were reviewing surveillance video from a Metrobus that was nearby at the time of the shooting.

Stay with News4 and NBCWashington.com for updates to this developing story.